4.8 (4 ratings)
The September House
“Why run from a haunted house when you can stay and ignore the ghosts? Just when you thought you'd seen everything a haunted house novel could do, The September House comes along and delivers an eerie, darkly funny, and emotionally grounded book about the ghosts that haunt houses and marriages."– Grady Hendrix, New York Times bestselling author of How to Sell a Haunted House
A woman is determined to stay in her dream home even after it becomes a haunted nightmare in this compulsively readable, twisty, and layered debut novel.
When Margaret and her husband Hal bought the large Victorian house on Hawthorn Street—for sale at a surprisingly reasonable price—they couldn’t believe they finally had a home of their own. Then they discovered the hauntings. Every September, the walls drip blood. The ghosts of former inhabitants appear, and all of them are terrified of something that lurks in the basement. Most people would flee.
Margaret is not most people.
Margaret is staying. It’s her house. But after four years Hal can’t take it anymore, and he leaves abruptly. Now, he’s not returning calls, and their daughter Katherine—who knows nothing about the hauntings—arrives, intent on looking for her missing father. To make things worse, September has just begun, and with every attempt Margaret and Katherine make at finding Hal, the hauntings grow more harrowing, because there are some secrets the house needs to keep.
A woman is determined to stay in her dream home even after it becomes a haunted nightmare in this compulsively readable, twisty, and layered debut novel.
When Margaret and her husband Hal bought the large Victorian house on Hawthorn Street—for sale at a surprisingly reasonable price—they couldn’t believe they finally had a home of their own. Then they discovered the hauntings. Every September, the walls drip blood. The ghosts of former inhabitants appear, and all of them are terrified of something that lurks in the basement. Most people would flee.
Margaret is not most people.
Margaret is staying. It’s her house. But after four years Hal can’t take it anymore, and he leaves abruptly. Now, he’s not returning calls, and their daughter Katherine—who knows nothing about the hauntings—arrives, intent on looking for her missing father. To make things worse, September has just begun, and with every attempt Margaret and Katherine make at finding Hal, the hauntings grow more harrowing, because there are some secrets the house needs to keep.
Pages: 344
ISBN: 9780593548615
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Available in: Hardcover, Ebook, Paperback, Library Binding
See all editions (5)Reader Reviews
4.8
4 ratings
Rachel B.
Feb 8, 2026
“September House” by Carissa Orlando is a haunting, creepy, and surprisingly funny horror story. It delivers plenty of eerie, gory moments, but what really stood out to me was the dark humor woven throughout—it added such an unexpected and refreshing twist. I really enjoyed this one and loved how it balanced genuine scares with wit.
Sarah L.
Feb 8, 2026
This one left me speechless and I couldn’t even write the review at the time. Another book I couldn’t put down. It reminded me of Haunting of Hill House with some Sixth Sense vibes. Like spooky, in detail graphics of ghosts etc? This one would be a perfect one especially for the month of September!
Read Letter D.
Feb 8, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love the combination of haunted house with family drama and Margaret was a great character to follow. She had it rough even before September House and it was interesting ot see how her old life had prepared her for the new one.
And the pranksters! How horrible! How much I love them all! Very Gashlycrumb Tinies meets a sketch from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
There was a point at maybe 80% where I was VERY worried a twist would come and ruin the book. I even went back to re-read the blurb to try to calm my nerves (putt as spoiler just in case?But YES this truly is a book about a haunted house, not some twist that negates it all )
But also, the audacity of an author to put a 50 PAGE chapter at the final act! Ah! On behalf of slow reader, please no! I had to stay up well past a decent hour to finish this book, but in the end, Needs Must.
And the pranksters! How horrible! How much I love them all! Very Gashlycrumb Tinies meets a sketch from Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark.
There was a point at maybe 80% where I was VERY worried a twist would come and ruin the book. I even went back to re-read the blurb to try to calm my nerves (putt as spoiler just in case?
But also, the audacity of an author to put a 50 PAGE chapter at the final act! Ah! On behalf of slow reader, please no! I had to stay up well past a decent hour to finish this book, but in the end, Needs Must.
Cheyenne Joy .
Feb 8, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️– The September House by Carissa Orlando
Loved every single word — seriously, every word — from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down. I told myself I’d just read one more chapter, and suddenly it was three hours later, the world outside didn’t exist, and I was completely swallowed by this story. It’s one of those books that doesn’t just entertain you — it drags you right into the house, locks the door, and dares you to leave.
It’s haunting, darkly funny in places, and so vividly written that you can almost hear the creaking floors and feel the chill in the walls. The plot is original, but I’ll be honest — there were moments where I saw certain twists coming. Not all of them, though, and even when I did, it didn’t take away from how brilliantly it all unfolded. The pacing is just right: fast enough to keep your pulse up, slow enough to make you savor the unease.
The characters, their interactions, their perfectly flawed humanity — that’s what made it hit even harder. And the ending… wow. Totally blew me away. It’s the kind of finale that makes you stare at the last page, half in awe, half in denial that it’s over.
I’m honestly sad I finished it. You know that ache you get when a story is too good and you wish you could unread it just to experience it fresh again? That’s this book. If you love eerie, emotional, and brilliantly written stories — this smart haunted house novel is it. Don’t even hesitate. It’s worth losing sleep over. #theseptemberhouse #carissaorlando
Loved every single word — seriously, every word — from start to finish. I couldn’t put it down. I told myself I’d just read one more chapter, and suddenly it was three hours later, the world outside didn’t exist, and I was completely swallowed by this story. It’s one of those books that doesn’t just entertain you — it drags you right into the house, locks the door, and dares you to leave.
It’s haunting, darkly funny in places, and so vividly written that you can almost hear the creaking floors and feel the chill in the walls. The plot is original, but I’ll be honest — there were moments where I saw certain twists coming. Not all of them, though, and even when I did, it didn’t take away from how brilliantly it all unfolded. The pacing is just right: fast enough to keep your pulse up, slow enough to make you savor the unease.
The characters, their interactions, their perfectly flawed humanity — that’s what made it hit even harder. And the ending… wow. Totally blew me away. It’s the kind of finale that makes you stare at the last page, half in awe, half in denial that it’s over.
I’m honestly sad I finished it. You know that ache you get when a story is too good and you wish you could unread it just to experience it fresh again? That’s this book. If you love eerie, emotional, and brilliantly written stories — this smart haunted house novel is it. Don’t even hesitate. It’s worth losing sleep over. #theseptemberhouse #carissaorlando